Industry
Player Props and Single-Game Parlays Drive Record World Cup Betting
A Kambi report shows bet builders doubled from 2022, player props featured in 65% of parlays, and over $50 billion was wagered on the tournament.
What happened
More than $50 billion was wagered on the World Cup, making it the biggest betting event in history, according to a report covered by CasinoBeats. DraftKings reported a 650% increase in wagers compared to the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Kambi, whose network includes 60 operators, accepted more than 100 million wagers during the five-week event.
The report identifies two bet types as central to the surge: single-game parlays, also known as bet builders, and player props. The number of bet builders doubled compared to the 2022 World Cup and accounted for 35% of all bets placed. Kambi also found that 65% of single-game parlays included at least one player prop market.
Confirmed details
Kambi's data shows that parlays became longer as well as more numerous. At the 2022 tournament, 30% of parlay wagers contained at least four selections. This time, 48% did.
The shift toward parlays accelerated as the tournament progressed. In the group stages, 90% of bettors placed a single-stake wager. That share dropped to 57% in the semi-final and 60% in the final.
In-play parlay betting also grew sharply. Single-game parlays accounted for 3% of in-play wagers at the last World Cup. At this tournament, the figure rose to 22%.
Player shots-on-target became the most popular selection in single-game parlays, overtaking the match-winner market. At the Qatar World Cup, it ranked sixth. It accounted for 48% of all selections in parlays, compared with 18% for the next most popular player prop, player to score.
Kambi's report noted that bettors who wagered on player props placed 3.4 times more wagers than other users and bet on 2.4 times more matches.
Why it matters to the iGaming market
The report indicates a structural shift in soccer betting toward products long associated with American sports. Player props and single-game parlays have not traditionally been major attractions for soccer gamblers, but the North American hosting of the tournament and active promotion by sportsbooks appear to have changed that.
Parlays carry significantly higher margins for operators than single-stake wagers. In Maryland, parlays accounted for 38.5% of betting handle but 68.5% of revenue. Across the US last year, sportsbooks' average hold for parlays was 18.8%, compared with 5.7% for single-stake wagers. Kambi did not disclose the hold for World Cup parlays specifically.
Sportsbooks promoted parlays during the tournament, offering bonuses to users who placed single-game parlays but not to those who placed single-stake wagers. More operators also offered single-game parlays in-play.
Kambi has expanded its esoccer betting feed, which allows users to continue wagering after matches end. The company noted spikes in betting activity pre-match, during half-time, and just after the final whistle, including a particular spike during the extended half-time break in the World Cup final.
That constant availability has drawn criticism. DraftKings and FanDuel are facing a lawsuit from the Public Health Advocacy Institute alleging that the constant availability of microbets encourages problem gambling.
Prediction markets also saw elevated activity. Kalshi's trading volume surpassed $33 billion during the tournament, though the report suggests this did not significantly affect sportsbook betting.
What to watch next
The World Cup data may signal a lasting change in how soccer is bet. If player props and parlays remain popular outside major tournaments, operators with strong, combinable player prop offerings could gain an advantage. Kambi's report said the findings underline the importance of a player props offering that is fully combinable.
At the same time, the growth of in-play parlays and esoccer feeds is likely to keep regulatory and public health scrutiny focused on the industry. The lawsuit against DraftKings and FanDuel is one indicator of that pressure.
Whether the parlay-heavy behaviour observed during the World Cup carries into regular league play is an open question. The tournament's North American setting and the promotional environment around it may have amplified the trend. Future reporting on hold percentages and product mix in ordinary soccer markets will show whether the shift is durable.
